Surrogate military forces serving US interests in Africa: Expert

Press TV has conducted an interview with Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of Pan Africa Newswire, Detroit about the announcement that thousands of US marines may be deployed to Africa for combat missions.

The following is an approximate transcript of the interview.

Press TV: First of all, what is the purpose of this global realignment project, especially coupling it with the recent increase of French intervention in some African countries?

Azikiwe: It follows the same pattern that the United States has been engaging in now for some six years with the official formation of the United States Africa Command.

It represented an escalation of US military forces on the continent. They already have monumental training exercises that are taking place in various regions of Africa: joint military exercises, training exercises; in some countries they are even paying the (local) military officers as well as the soldiers.

Also, in some countries like Somalia there are several US allied military on the African continent, which are in fact operating as surrogate military forces that are serving the interests of Washington.

Over 20,000 troops are now in Somalia from Uganda, from Rwanda, from Burundi, Sera Leone, Djibouti and other states as well. There is also a US military base Camp Lemonnier in the Horn of African nation of Djibouti.

So this represents a continuation of this same policy.

Press TV: What economic implications will this project for America; and of course the political implications for those countries that will host these troops?

Azikiwe: It means that the United States military forces will be taking fire from interests that they deem to be hostile to Washington’s interests.

It also means that troops that are being withdrawn or drawn down from Afghanistan in Central Asia could very well be deployed to the African continent.

And this represents future potential hostilities between the United States and forces on the African continent, who they have deemed as being terrorists to US national security interests or to the interests of those countries that are allied with the United States.

It potentially could aggravate tensions between African Union member states and the United States. And this is being done in conjunction with other NATO forces, with the European Union forces as well.